Folding bedstead



Patented Aug. 3,1897.

W. D. SNYDER.

FOLDING BEDSTEAD.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'WILLIAM D. SNYDER, OF AUSTIN, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING BEDSTEAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 587,495, dated August3, 1897.

Application filed December 4, 1894. Serial No. 530,797. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. SNYDER, of Austin, Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Bedsteads, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the hinge connections between the stationaryand movable members of folding beds, and more particularly to that classof connections which employ a rolling or shifting fulcrum. In this classof devices it is desirable to provide in some practicable and simplemanner against the separation of the parts which may be cccasioned bythe warping or springing of the stationary frames. It is furtherdesirable to provide a connection which will afford a shifting fulcrum,so that as the folding member of the bed is lowered it is moved orthrust out or away from the stationary member, while in the act offolding it is moved inwardly or in the opposite direction. It isdesirable to provide connections of this kind which shall operatewithout the employment of coacting or enmeshin g teeth,because unlessthese teeth accurately enmesh or if they become displaced by themovement of the bed the parts are likely to separate, the members of thebed becoming thereby disjointed. My construction enables me to attainall of these desirable features, and in addition thereto the hingemembers are of such form that the folding member of the bed can belifted out and removed and put back again without detaching the hingemembers.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly inbroken section, showing the folding member extended and the dotted linesindicating the position of the parts when the folding member is closed.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the casting constituting the hinge membersdetached. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan below the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, thesection being taken through one of the side rails and through the end ofthe stationary member or case.

In the drawings, 4 represents the stationary and 5 the folding frame.These parts are connected by means of the devices illustrated in Fig. 2and comprising a track member 6 and a rocker member 7. The track memberis substantially stirrup-shaped and has a horizontal track 8 and curvedsides 9. These sides are provided with a continuous rabbetlO, extendingalong the sides and along the side of the horizontal track 8. They aredepended into pockets or recesses 11 at the lower corners, and the trackmember has apertures 12 in its flanges, through which screws are passedto secure it to the end of the stationary case. There are alsopreferably provided dowel-pins 13, which enter suitable seats in the endboard of the case. The rocker member 7 is perforated, as at 14c, for thepassage of fastenings whereby it is secured to the side rails of thefolding frame 5, and it has a projecting flange 15 extending beyond theplane of the rocker and curved in a corresponding are through the majorportion of its length. This flange terminates at its ends inparti-circular lugs 16, which are adapted, respectively, to enter thecurved seats or recesses 11 of the track member when the folding memberof the bed reaches the respective limits of its movement in folding andunfolding, as shown by the full lines and dotted lines, respectively, ofFig. 1.

In the operation of exte'ndin g or closing the folding member of the bedthe rocker 7 travels 16 will enter one of the recesses 11 and by reasonof this engagement will prevent the spreading or separation of thefolding member from the stationary case.

If it be desired to lift the folding member out of engagement with thecase and to separate it therefrom for any purpose, this is readilyaccomplished by lifting the inner end .of the folding member while inthe position while prevented from separation in the direction of theirmovement or at right angles thereto, are in rolling contact, so that theoperation of folding or unfolding can be per- 5 formed with slightlabor.

It is further to be observed that there are no intermeshing teeth orgears r shifting fulcra or fulcra-seats requiring nicety of adj ustmentand subject to wear, whereby the origi- Io nal adjustment would bedestroyed. On the contrary, with my construction the parts are but veryslightly subject to wear, and such Wear as results from long-continueduse does not impair the efficiency of the connection.

I It is further to be observed that these parts will Work without noise.The construction is also such that the parts of the bed will not bedisconnected, no matterin What position they may be placed. For example,in shipmentthe bed is frequently laid down upon its back or turned overand over; but the interlocking flanges of myihinge members cannot beseparated in any manner except by direct lift upon the head of thefolding member when 2 5 the latter is in its extended position.

I claim:- 1. A connectionfor the framesof a folding bed, comprising incombination a track member to be secured to the stationary frame andhaving a horizontal track and curved sides rising therefrom, acontinuous rabbet along said track and sides and a rocker member to besecured to the folding frame having a curved rocker and a projectingflange adapted to said track and rabbet, substantially as described.

2. A connection for the frames of a folding bed, comprising incombination a member to be secured to the stationary frame and having ahorizontal track and curved sides rising therefrom, a continuous rabbetalong said

